TURA: Two Garo jawans of the Border Security Force who died while fighting militants in the restive Kashmir region over 26 years ago were honoured in a special commemoration on Friday in their respective villages in West Garo Hills district.
Naik Kabindra Marak and Constable Mukesh B. Marak laid down their lives in the line of duty in 1990 and 1992, respectively.
The 20th battalion of the BSF observed this year’s Martyrs’ Day commemoration service with a special programme at two schools in Rajabala — Rajabala Higher Secondary School and Singwilgre Lower Primary School, where the two men had their education before joining the force.
The BSF dispatched a special delegation led by Assistant Commandants Pradeep Raipure and Pradeep Kumar Singh to hold the commemoration event at Rajabala.
The programmes were attended by students, village elders and BSF personnel. The BSF jawans narrated the story of that fateful night when the duo fought valiantly against militants. The story of their sacrifice was etched on special plaques which were unveiled at the respective schools.
The BSF also presented shawls to the next of kin of both martyrs as a mark of respect and donated sports equipment to the schools.
Headmen of Singwilgre and Koikuri villages, school staff, students and general public took part in the commemoration functions. Village elder and political leader Somorendro A. Sangma spoke on behalf of the citizens and recounted the days before the two men joined the force.
On the night of September 19, 1990, Naik Kabindra Marak and his team who were deployed for counter-insurgency operations at Sopore Bandipur in Jammu and Kashmir received information about the presence of two hideouts belonging to militant commander Mohd Shafi, a separatist rebel who had the backing of neighbouring Pakistan.
The team launched a search operation but failed to locate the hideout. While returning the militants laid an ambush on them in a congested locality of the town leading to a gun battle.
During the exchange of fire the militants lobbed a grenade that exploded and critically injured Kabindra who later succumbed to his injuries.
Two years later, on August 1, 1992, Constable Mukesh B Marak was manning a security bunker near the Zaina Kadal tomb when militants lobbed a grenade and started firing indiscriminately.
During the gun fight a bullet ricocheted off a telephone post and hit Constable Mukesh in the stomach leading to profuse bleeding that led to his death.
“Their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty will always be remembered by the nation,” mentions the last line in the inscription on the BSF monument.
